[thingie2]

Well I read on the internet, the 9 series is coming out on the 21st of feb, does anyone know anything about this? or was what I read just made up because I haven't managed to find anything about it on the Nvidia official website.

Also if anyone knows any of the specs of the cards can they say also.

Thanks

[alex]

Rumours abound regarding the 9800, but if the suspected specification is anything to go by this is going to be a serious piece of kit for gamers.

As for a release this month? I doubt it, but that's just an opinion, as I've heard a March release date bandied around. Again though this is just supposition.

The picture below is supposed to be a pre-release card (hence no 3rd party manufacturer decals). As you can see it's a dual slot and looks about the size of a GTX, maybe a tad shorter.

It's apparantly based on the G92 core. If so it'll have a 256-bit memory interface and be built on 65nm technology.

But as it's created in a similar vein to the 7950GX2 it'll have 2 gpu's and, i'd hazard, 1gb ram (512mb per gpu) because any more ram will make the card extortionately expensive.

Nvidia's european director has even gone on record (considering the massive driver issues with the GX2) as saying that "we've learnt from our mistakes". So hopefully this card will work to it's full potential straight out of the box.

[thingie2]

sounds good, any idea on the prices?

[alex]

I'd guess, considering the pricepoint of the GT and GTS, around £300-£350.

[Gazmondo]

I wouldn't mind one of those cards when I get my new rig sorted, though I would have to sell my house to afford it.

And I don't even own a house..

[alex]

I genuinely think you have to be nuts to spend the price of a console on a graphics card. It's not a right or wrong statement, just an opinion. And then you've got the price of the monitor to show the card's performance in all it's glory, then the cpu so it won't bottleneck, then the mobo......

It just makes me wonder just how wasteful coders of pc games really are. I mean look at the PS3 architecture; DX9! and that thing can run graphically-superb gaming titles at hd resolutions. If you're wondering, the 360 has the unified DX10 architecture (courtesy of amd) resident in it's innards.

[link590o]

i refuse to spend equal to or more than half the cost of the entire machine. i spent a good 600 dollars on my rig, and adding a card that equals it in price is an utterly ridiculous investment. given the card might well outlast the machine, but the delicate balance of price versus performance overall is completely blown.

1 component of the machine should never double the cost of the entire thing.

which is why i refuse to buy any such card until the price drops to about 250 and below. i won't even think about the 9800 as an option. i'm going straight for an 8800gt 512mb and sticking with it. it's hard enough coming up with the cash for the bloody thing. but at least it will add a new bunghole to any game i throw at it.

it's exciting that a new card with more graphics processing power is coming out. but as alex pointed out, it's leaving the rest of the technology behind. needing to get a monitor capable of delivering the full graphical quality, needing a machine that won't slow down the card, and game makers not making it any easier for us...

i've almost completely given up on following advents in graphics card technology because it's easier for me to just buy somewhat "older" technology that performs almost equally as admirably. it will very likely be a while before i need an upgrade from the 8800gt.

[Carbon]

SLI in a box. 8800GT/GTS will maintain its superior for at least another half a year.

[thingie2]

Hmm, a little too much for me then, even for my excesivly expensive build. Was only looking to spend around the £200 marks for the card for my build, atleast i can get a good 8800 for that.

[Carbon]

What I find odd is that while they have 2 GPUs, they can only top a 8800 Ultra by 30%, or so I've heard. I can only see the benefit of having one card when you want to SLI them to as high as you can go (quad now?), because the previous card x (max slots - 1) will always beat it.